EUR 22.3 million needed for the waste water filter in Zrenjanin – Construction possible in 2018

After being announced for decades, measures will finally be taken to preserve the Bega, and the construction of a waste water filter will solve one of the biggest communal problems and stop the environmental degradation of Zrenjanin.

– The construction of a waste water filter to follow is a logical extension of the efforts made by the local authorities to provide the citizens with higher quality living conditions and a healthier environment – says the mayor of Zrenjanin, Cedomir Janjic, and notes that the construction of another important facility, a water factory, is also in progress in Zrenjanin.

The market research study on public-private partnerships for waste water is unique in Serbia, since no local community has expressed interest in this kind of communal investment so far. By using experiences from the neighboring countries (Croatia and Hungary) primarily, the experts of the CREAM alliance, which promotes and supports PPP in Serbia, consider that the city on the Bega can solve its great environmental problem and adopt the EU standards in treating waste.

– This PPP investment might include elements of a concession, which is up to the city of Zrenjanin to decide, and it would have managing rights in the project. We have contacted 31 companies throughout the world, nine of which have showed readiness to get involved in the project, whose initiation would be assisted by the EU donations – it is pointed out in the CREAM study, authored by Tanja Jaksic as the head manager.

– The filter for collection and treatment of waste waters would be located 4 km southeast of Zrenjanin, in close proximity to the Bega, and its construction could start as early as 2018. The required amount of EUR 22.3 million would be procured by the EU donations of EUR 15.5 million, by the Government of Serbia with EUR 5 million and the City of Zrenjanin with EUR 1.8 million – the CREAM experts say and point out that the project entails a valuable energy source as well, as the sludge would be used to produce biogas.

The biggest risk of this PPP is sustainable financing. The investment might pay off for the city and its partner in 30 years under stable finances.

The companies which do not wish to participate in the project cite the difficulty of charging for services in Serbia as a problem. Still, the collectability rate of sewer fees in Zrenjanin is currently around 80%.

Grad Zrenjanin

Vlada Republike Srbije

the Bega river

waste water filter in Zrenjanin

Cedomir Janjic

water factory in Zrenjanin

CREAM alliance

Tanja Jaksic

biogas